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EWG's Tap Water Database — 2021 UPDATE

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Nitrate and nitrite

Rockford

Nitrate and nitrite enter water from fertilizer runoff, septic tanks and urban runoff. These contaminants can cause oxygen deprivation for infants and increase the risk of cancer. Nitrite is significantly more toxic than nitrate. Click here to read more about nitrate.

 

35

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

16

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
20140.950 ppm21ND - 1.90 ppm
20150.701 ppm104ND - 3.30 ppm
20161.46 ppm330.0300 ppm - 4.30 ppm
20172.40 ppm112.40 ppm
20180.795 ppm1711ND - 3.71 ppm
20191.92 ppm220.0300 ppm - 3.80 ppm

ppm = parts per million

State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines

EWG Health Guideline 0.14 ppm

The health guideline of 0.14 parts per million, or ppm, for nitrate and nitrite is based on the equivalent health guideline for nitrate, as defined in a peer-reviewed scientific study by EWG. This guideline represents a one-in-one-million annual cancer risk level.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 10 ppm

ppm = parts per million

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2014-07-304074473-011.90 ppm
2014-12-034120551-01ND
2015-04-225043414-021.50 ppm
2015-05-135051942-011.90 ppm
2015-05-135051942-06ND
2015-05-205053045-01ND
2015-05-275053787-02ND
2015-06-035060644-01ND
2015-06-105061807-01ND
2015-10-215103178-043.30 ppm
2015-10-215103178-06ND
2015-10-215103178-020.310 ppm
2016-04-206043262-034.30 ppm
2016-04-276044108-020.0500 ppm
2016-06-086061378-010.0300 ppm
2017-07-267075066-012.40 ppm
2018-01-2918A0571-02_02ND
2018-01-2918A0571-01_02ND
2018-04-258044519-09ND
2018-04-258044519-011.70 ppm
2018-04-258044519-021.50 ppm
2018-04-258044519-06ND
2018-04-258044519-07ND
2018-05-3018E1190-01_02ND
2018-05-308055072-030.0400 ppm
2018-05-308055072-050.0300 ppm
2018-06-208063745-040.0300 ppm
2018-08-298085808-011.90 ppm
2018-10-3118K0014-01_023.71 ppm
2018-12-0518L0178-01_020.346 ppm
2018-12-0518L0178-02_020.356 ppm
2018-12-118122328-083.60 ppm
2018-12-118122328-010.310 ppm
2019-05-149053342-030.0300 ppm
2019-05-289055555-043.80 ppm